Siemens Iraq Bribes

On the back of Siemens recent embezzlement allegations, it also turns out that the German company could be guilty of bribing Iraq to take part in the oil for food program.

A spokesman for the Nuremberg prosecutor said the investigation, which began in November, is focusing on a six-figure euro payment which may have been made to the Iraqi government when the country was ruled by Saddam Hussein.

A Siemens spokesman said ‘We are cooperating with the public prosecutor. But it is important to put this into context and realise that it is part of a wider investigation concerning several companies which took part in the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme.’

The oil-for-food program had allowed the Iraqi government to sell specific amounts of oil in exchange for essential goods to augment the sanctions on the civilian population.

An investigation ordered by the UN revealed that more than 2,000 companies from 60 countries had paid bribed Saddam Hussein’s government in 2005 to be able to join the program.